Aston Villa will begin their Europa League campaign with a two-legged play-off against the Rapid club from Austria’s capital Vienna.

The two sides met at the same stage of the same competition last season, with Villa losing out on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw over the two legs.

This year’s tie will take place on 19^th and 26^th August with Villa away in the first leg.

Villa’s close season was largely dominated by the on-off transfer saga involving England international midfielder James Milner and his potential move to big-spending Manchester City.

 

Villa rejected a £20m bid from the Eastlands outfit in May and have stayed firm on their valuation of the 24-year-old at £30m.

City have been reportedly prepared to up their bid to £24m and there were further reports prior to Villa’s pre-season trip to Portugal that a compromise would be reached between this figure and Villa’s valuation, perhaps involving midfielder Stephen Ireland moving to Villa Park as a makeweight in the deal.

Talks took place between Milner and his boss Martin O’Neill when Milner reported back for training after his extended close season break following his involvement in England’s World Cup campaign in South Africa.

They were reported to be “amicable,” but O’Neill said afterwards that Milner had “intimated that he wanted to go” to the north-west.

And there was a difference in opinion between the two as to whether or not Milner had even been prepared to discuss a new Villa contract.

In an official statement the club said: “James Milner, along with chief executive Paul Faulkner and the player’s representative, Matthew Buck, had an amicable conversation.”

And they announced that Milner would be a part of Villa’s squad for the Guadiana Cup competition in Portugal last weekend, where they played Dutch side Feyenoord and hosts Benfica.

Another possible Villa departure, defender Luke Young, did not make the Portugal trip but has also been the subject of continuing transfer speculation.

The 31-year-old former England right-back was due to discuss terms with Liverpool last week, and the player’s representative, Andy Evans, said a fee had been agreed between the clubs, a figure which was subsequently reported a £2.75m.

However, the move collapsed amid reports that Young refused to take a £10,000-a-week pay cut to join the Reds, Liverpool having apparently offered a weekly wage of £37,000.

Latest reports have linked Young to a move to London club Fulham, under the new managerial regime of Mark Hughes.

Villa have also played a supporting role in the summer-long speculation surrounding the future of want-away Celtic midfielder Aiden McGeady, who is reported to favour a move to Villa Park ahead of the Russian club Spartak Moscow.

Villa defeated Feyenoord 3-1 in the Guadiana Cup, with under-fire striker Emile Heskey among the scorers. But they were well beaten 4-1 by Benfica, a match described by O’Neill as a “proper test which will bring us on immensely.”

Villa open their EPL campaign on August 14^th when they host West Ham United.